Short S.26 G-Class
I originally discovered Shipbucket while searching for pictures of the G-Class, and am very suprised it took me so long to recreate the aircraft in FD scale.
The G-Class was the follow on to the Empire C-Class, designed for trans-Atlantic service. While designed for Imperial Airways, the Air Ministry was also interested in potential military applications of the design, and required that the new aircraft be made available for RAF service in the event of future hostilities. Imperial's initial order was for 3 aircraft, able to be configured from carrying 2 tonnes of freight for long range flights, to 150 passengers on short sectors.
The first aircraft started test flying in July 1939, and was handed over to Imperial Airways on the 24th September 1939 - after Britain had declared war on Germany. Just days later the aircraft and crews were impressed into the RAF, before the aircraft had been able to enter commercial operations. Imperial had decided to name the aircraft as the "G" Class, with the first 2 aircraft to be named "Grenadier" and "Grenville", but instead chose "Golden Hind", "Golden Fleece" and "Golden Horn" for names for the fleet.
The aircraft were modified to military use as S.26/M, fitted with defensive turrets and shipping radar. The G-Class entered service with 119 Squadron and later 10 Squadron RAAF, operating as freighters to Gibraltar and the Middle East.
The second aircraft was lost off the west coast of Spain following a double engine failure in June 1940.
In December 1941 the 2 remaining aircraft were returned to BOAC, as Imperial had been renamed, and entered service from Britain to West Africa. Unfortunately the third aircraft was lost to an engine fire after maintenance off Lisbon, leaving only the initial aircraft in service where it continued until 1947. The "Golden Hind" then remained moored and unused until 1954 when it ran aground while being towed to a new moorage, and was then scrapped due to damage.